Alarm clock control device



195% J. R. GUMMERSALL, SR 2,702,450

ALARM CLOCK CONTROL DEVICE Filed May 15, 1953 United States Patent ALARM CLOCK CONTROL DEVICE John R. Gummersall, Sr., Sea Cliff, N. Y.

Application May 15, 1953, Serial No. 355,367

2 Claims. (Cl. 5821.14)

This invention relates generally to electric alarm clock controls and in particular to a resetting control for an electric alarm clock whereby a person may return to sleep for a short period of time without the fear of oversleeping.

The present invention is particularly adaptable to a twenty-four hour electric alarm clock of the type disclosed in the Patent 2,583,794 to Parks issued January 29, 1952.

This patent discloses an electric alarm clock of the type having a synchronous motor driving the time indicating mechanisms. A vibrating alarm is provided that is energized by means of the synchronous motor. An interposing member is utilized to engage the vibrating member and thus prevent the audible alarm from sounding. Withdrawal of the interposing member permits the audible alarm to operate. The alarm control mechanism comprises a pair of coaxial gears, one of which is rotatable by means of a manual control to pre-set the alarm mechanism so that it will sound at a desired period of time. This gear carries a cam that extends laterally from one side thereof and is adapted to co-act with the second coaxial gear. The second coaxial gear controls the interposing member and moves said member into and out of engagement with the alarm sounding vibrator. A slot is provided in the second gear, which will co-act with the cam member in the first gear, to permit a spring to urge the interposing member out of engagement with the vibrator. Thus, the positioning of the cam on the first gear determines when the interposing member will be withdrawn from engagement by means of the cam entering the slot in the second gear. This second gear is driven by the synchronous motor and rotates on a time basis. This alarm mechanism is completely described in the cited patent and reference thereto will disclose the operation thereof in greater detail.

The vibrating member has been found to vibrate and sound an audible alarm for approximately forty minutes due to the time relationship of the second gear and because of this extended period of operation, it is difficult to reset the alarm should it be desired to postpone the sounding of the alarm for a period of five or ten minutes or a like shorter period.

The present invention appertains to an auxiliary control which is manually settable to turn 0E the audible alarm for a shortened predetermined period of time such as the five or ten minute period. This auxiliary control comprises a camming member that selectably engages the second gear and when manually operated moves the interposing member into engagement with'the vibrating alarm. This second camming member is automatically resettable to an ineffective position by the rotation of the second gear which permits the interposing member to be removed once more from engagement with the vibrator, thereby resounding the audible alarm.

Therefore, one of the principal objects of the invention resides in the provision of an auxiliary alarm control that is selectively settable to turn off an audible alarm of.the class described for a predetermined period of time.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of means to control and predetermine the period of time that the alarm is turned oif by the auxiliary control.

Other ancillary objects will be, in part, hereinafter apparent and will be, in part, hereinafter pointed out.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a plan elevation of an alarm clock incorporating the alarm device as disclosed in the cited patent.

2,702,450 Patented Feb. 22, 1955 Figure 2 is a side elevation of the alarm device disclosed in the cited patent.

Figure 3 is a detailed side elevation of the auxiliary alarm control means illustrating the relation thereof to the second gear.

Figure 4 is a cross-section taken along line 4-4 of Figure 3.

Figure 5 is a side elevation illustrating the auxiliary alarm controlling mechanism in non-operating position whereby the audible alarm may sound.

Figure 6 is a side elevation illustrating the auxiliary alarm controlling mechanism in operating position whereby the audible alarm is not operating.

Figure 7 is a fragmentary detail talten along line 7-7 of Figure 3.

Figure 8 is a fragmentary detail taken along line 8-8 of Figure 3.

Referring to the drawing in detail, 10 generally designates an electric alarm clock having a face 12 with the usual dials and related ends not shown. Clock 10 is provided with a synchronous motor 14, mounted in the usual frame members 16 and adapted to drive a time mechanism which is represented by a gear 18. It will be understood that the time mechanism is conventional and rotates in timed relationship.

An alarm mechanism generally designated as 20 is provided and it comprises a pair of coaxial gears 22 and 24 respectively. (Jear 22 is affixed to and rotatable with a shaft 26 which is journalled in suitable bearing provided in frame member 28 and the hub of gear 24 respectively. Thus, it is evident that gears 22 and 24 are coaxial and independently rotatable relative to each other. A torsion spring 30 is circum acently disposed on the shaft 26 and is interposed between the frame member 28 and gear 22. Thus, the gear member 22 is urged toward the gear member 24. Plural raised protrusions 25 on the face of gear 24 extend toward and abut against gear 22 to space said gears one from the other and to facilitate relative movement between the respective gears. Shaft 26 has a smooth surfaced wheel 34 secured on the portion extending beyond the frame member 28 that is axially movable into and out of engagement with vibrating arm 36. Arm 36 is energized by the magnetic fields of the synchronous motor 14 and, accordingly, vibrates when synchronous motor 14 is energized. uear 24 has laterally extending from one side thereof a cam 38 that is adapted to engage the adjacent side of gear 22 and space said gears one from the other a greater distance than protrusions 25. When so spaced, the wheel 34 is disposed in engagement with vibrator 36 thereby preventing said vibrator from producing an audible sound. A complemental slot 40 is provided in gear 22 to receive cam 38 therein when said gears are in a predetermined co-aligning relation. When cam 38 disposed in the slot 40, spring 30 urges shaft 26 leftwardly, as shown in Figure 5, and carries wheel 34 out of engagement with the vibrator 36.

Thus, the positioning of the cam relative to the slot controls the sounding of the audible alarm. As shown in Figure 2, gear 24 is selectively positionable by means of a manually operated shaft 46 which has afiixed thereto a pinion 48 disposed in meshing engagement with an intermediate gear 50 that is in turn disposed in meshing engagement with gear 24. An indicator, not shown, is disposed in the face of the clock and by means of the manually operable shaft 46 the. indicator may be preset to a desirable period of time. This pre-setting effectively positions gear 24 and the cam 38 thereon. The synchronous motor time mechanism rotates in time relationship the gear 22 and accordingly when the slot 40 therein rotates into a position wherein cam 38 enters said slot, the smooth surfaced wheel 34 is withdrawn from the vibrator 36 and the alarm sounds. A manually controlled lever 52 is provided as a means for shutting off the alarm mechanism having a raised portion 54 that engages vibrator 36 to shut off the audible alarm. Obviously lever 52 may be withdrawn from engagement with the vibrator 36 so that'the alarm may sound. This mechanism is completely disclosed in the cited patent and need not be described in greater detail herein.

The present invention provides an auxiliary control for interrupting vibrator 36 and comprises a manually operable member 60 journ'alled in a sleeve 62 that is mounted in case 64 normally surrounding the alarm clock mechanism 10. Sleeve 62 is provided with a radial flange 66 at one end thereof provided for a purpose hereinafter appearing. A boss 68 is disposed adjacent to radial flange 66 and is greater of diameter than the remainder of the sleeve 62. Aperture 70, of complemental diameter to the remainder of the sleeve 62, in case 64 and is adapted to receive the sleeve 62 therein. When so disposed, boss 68 abuts against the case 64. The outer periphery of sleeve 62 is threaded to receive a nut 72 thereon. Washer 74 may be interposed between case 64 and nut 72 to secure sleeve 62 in fixed relation relative to case 64. Member 60 comprises a shaft 76 that is adapted to be disposed in bore 78 of sleeve 62 and is provided at one end with a handle 80 that is afiixed to said shaft. Member 60 is retained in the bore 78 by means of handle 80 and a retaining spring 82. Spring 82 is receivable in a peripheral groove 84 recessed in and adacent to the opposite end of shaft 76. Said opposite end of shaft 76 is reduced to form a fiat cam portion 88 that is disposed in vertical relation and positioned adjacent to the inner face of gear 22 for a purpose hereinafter appearing.

As shown in Figure 7, radial flange 66 is cut away to provide a pair of limit stops 90 and 92, respectively. Handle 80 is provided with an extension portion 94 adapted to reside in the cut away portion of radial flange 66. Stops 90 and 92, respectively, limit the rotation of the handle 80. Thus, with the rotation of handle 80 limited, the rotation of shaft 76 is likewise limited to the spacing between stops 90 and 92. These respective stops are spaced to provide a predetermined time interval of silence with respect to the alarm, as will be hereinafter apparent.

Assuming that the alarm mechanism has sounded and it is desired by the person being awakened that the alarm be temporarily shut oif for a shortened period of time, for example five minutes, the person will then rotate handle 80 clockwise from its normal position wherein extension 94 abuts stop 90 to the position wherein extension 94 abuts against stop 92. Cam portion 88 will similarly be rotated from the vertical position shown in Figure 5, to the angular position shown in Figure 6. Gear 22, shaft 26 and wheel 34 are to be cammed outwardly to a position wherein wheel 34 engages vibrator 36, thereby silencing the audible alarm. The continued rotation of gear 22 in the direction of the arrow, Figure 6, causes cam 88 to rotate therewith and gradually restore "to its vertical position. As hereinbefore recited, gear 22 1s driven by the time mechanism of the alarm clock and spring 30 urges the gear 22 into frictional engagement with cam 88.

With cam 88 disposed in its vertical position said cam is out of engagement with gear 22 by virtue of the fixed spacing between the gears 22 and 24. This spacing is determined by protrusions 25 provided in the face of gear 24 as hereinbefore described.

It will be evident therefore, that the hereinbefore described alarm controls will effectively pre-set the alarm mechanism to sound at a desired time and awake the individual utilizing the alarm clock. With the present invention, the person being awakened may turn off the alarm and be assured of its resounding in a period of time determined by the stops and 92. Should the individual desire to reset the member 60 once more he may do so and may repeat this operation as many times as necessary within the limits of the period of time in which the cam 38 resides in the slot 40. Obviously, once cam 38 is out of slot 40 the alarm will be shut off and the member 60 is inelfective.

It will thus be seen that there is provided an auxiliary alarm control in which the several objects of this invention are achieved and which is well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various embodiments might be made of the above invention and as various changes might be made in the embodiment set forth, it is to be understood that all matter set forth or shown in the accompanying drawing is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

The invention claimed is:

1. In an electric alarm clock having a synchronous motive means, a vibrator normally operative when said motive means is energized and adapted to sound an audible alarm, an interponent adapted to engage said vibrator to prevent the operation thereof, pre-settable means nor mally retaining said interponent in engagement with said vibrator, a shaft, a gear journalled on said shaft and rotatable by said synchronous motive means, said gear co-operable with said pre-settable means and slidable along said shaft to release said interponent at a preselected period of time, the combination thereof with a normally inoperative rotatable member, means carried by said member frictionally engageable with said gear and rotatable to slide said gear along the axis of said shaft to re-engage said interponent with said vibrator, and manually operable means for rotating said member.

2. In an electric alarm clock having a synchronous motive means, a vibrator normally operative when said motive means is energized and adapted to sound an audible alarm, an interponent adapted to engage said vibrator to prevent the operation thereof, pre-settable means normally retaining said interponent in engagement with said vibrator, a shaft, a gear journalled on said shaft and rotatable by said synchronous motive means, said gear co-operable with said pre-settable means and slidable along the axis of said shaft to release said interponent at a pre-selected period of time, the combination thereof with a normally inoperative rotatable member, means carried by said member frictionally engageable with a side surface of said gear and rotatable in one direction to slide said gear along said shaft to re-engage said interponent with said vibrator, manually operable means for rotating said member, and said rotating gear being adapted to rotate said member in the opposite direction to inoperative position to permit said vibrator to operate.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,541,817 Gordon Feb. 13, 1951 2,583,794 Parks Jan. 29, 1952 2,652,682 Wolbarst Sept. 22, 1953 

